Authentic undergraduate research laboratory experiences are essential to aid in the implementation of science education reform mandates and to effectively train a new generation of biology students. The authors present assessment data on a unique four-step laboratory pedagogical framework that allows students to develop scientific thinking and practices while authentically engaging in the scientific process. This framework was used to transform a sophomore-level introductory biology laboratory course for biology majors at a 4-year college and an honors introductory biology laboratory course for nonmajors at a 2-year college.